Over the Christmas break, I came across the beautiful idea of bibliotherapy, a philosophy that was popular with the Ancient Greeks and enjoyed a renaissance after the Second World War. In essence, if you, your friends or your children are struggling with one of life’s many problems, from teenage angst to hating your job, then there’s a piece of literature out there that will ease your pain. Bibliotherapy doesn’t involve a trip to the self-help section of your bookstore, but it does require you to find a good book that’s relevant to your/their life situation. There hasn’t been a huge amount of research on the topic, but it’s believed to help children build self-esteem and confidence; it may also explain the perennial popularity of Holden Caulfield. For those of you in London, The School of Life has launched a service recently.